Nearly 90 individuals lost their lives after a severe storm struck Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, bringing intense rain, hail, and powerful winds, officials confirmed on Thursday. The fatalities resulted from various storm-related incidents, including lightning strikes and structural collapses.
Storms frequently occur in northern India during the hot season from March to June, preceding the annual monsoon. On Wednesday, television footage captured strong winds uprooting trees and tearing down billboards across multiple locations in Uttar Pradesh. The falling debris damaged vehicles as dust and fragments filled the streets and marketplaces.
Strong gusts also swept away wooden furniture from roadside stalls, adding to the destruction. A state relief official reported that many deaths were caused by collapsing trees and walls of homes during the storm. However, details about ongoing rescue and relief efforts have not yet been disclosed.
Senior government officials have not provided immediate comments on the situation. Uttar Pradesh, home to over 240 million people, regularly faces extreme weather events during the pre-monsoon period, making such incidents a recurring challenge for the region.
